31x10 - Sleeper Rigs; Pecans; Steel Pulleys; Acetate Eyewear

[bunniefuu]

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Narrator: truck drivers spend
a lot of time on the road,

So their sleeper rigs become
a home away from home.

Equipped with a refrigerator,
tv, and microwave,

A sleeper rig
is more than a place

To bunk down for the night.

It can also be a trucker's
living space

When it's time to pull over.

Due to the convenience
of sleeper rigs,

Truckers don't need
to pull into a hotel

Once they've put in their hours.

Instead, they simply pull over

Since they're hauling their own
sleeping accommodations.

This factory builds custom rigs
based on drivers' preferences.

Production starts by installing
the steel frame rails

For the vehicle's frame,
or chassis.

First, machinists
place the rails

In an upside down position

And wire it for
indicator lights

And other electrical components.

They run hoses
for the air brakes

And to deliver fuel
to the engine.

They link the two frame rails
with cross members...

And bolt an engine support rail
to the front of the framework.

A crane moves the chassis
down the line,

While a second crane carries
three wheel axles

Over to the first crane.

Technicians guide the axles
into position

As they're lowered
onto the frame.

The team bolts the axles
to the chassis.

A rollover crane flips
the chassis

And places it on a pedestal
that will move it down the line.

Next, the fifth wheel hitch
is installed.

That's used to connect
the truck to the trailer.

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The team secures the hitch
with clamping bolts

To ensure
it's securely in place.

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The engine and transmission

Are now connected
to the chassis.

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The team installs
the diesel fuel tank.

Metal straps are wrapped around
the tank,

And brackets are fastened
to the center of the chassis.

Machinists mount the tires
and wheels

Onto the axles in pairs.

This dual wheel system has
a greater load-carrying capacity

Than a single wheel.

Using a multi-spindled
torque tool,

A technician tightens
all the lug nuts

And writes identifying
information on the wheel.

Now it's over
to the industrial robots.

These machines assemble the cab
and the sleeper

And rivet the walls of
the structures to frames.

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With speed and precision,

The industrial robots
install the roof

And pipe sealant
on top of the cab frame.

A crane lowers the roof
onto the cab

And bolts the structure
together.

Meanwhile,
other industrial robots

Paint the cab, sleeper,
and hood.

The color is usually
a custom choice,

As are the size and amenities
of the sleeper.

A team slides the dashboard
subassembly into the cab.

They bolt the dashboard
to the cab

And connect the components
to the rest of the truck.

This is an inside look
at the sleeper cab,

Which has been wired
for lights and heat.

Technicians install
the cabinetry.

Other features
inside the sleeper cab

Include cabinets equipped
with a radio, charger outlets,

Cup holders,
fold-up bunk beds,

And mini fridge.

Once all interior components
are installed,

The team connects
the sleeper to the cab.

Then they bolt
the two pieces together.

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The cab and sleeper assembly
is now ready

To be mounted to the chassis.

A crane lowers it into place.

The team secures the hood
to the front rail.

The hood contains a mechanism
that will allow it

To open and close with ease

And lock in an open position.

Next, the assembled truck

Heads to
the wheel alignment station.

There, an inspector monitors
alignment readouts

From lasers and 3-d cameras.

This information lets them know

The wheel's positioning
on the axle.

Based on the data,

He loosens the bolts that hold
the axles to the wheels

And turns the axle

To make
any additional adjustments.

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Once all the technical
modifications have been made,

Technicians lock a kingpin
into the fifth wheel hitch

And turn the wheels to confirm
that everything is secure.

This truck is now ready to hit
the road and get to work.

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Narrator: pecans grow on trees

That are native to
south central north america.

In fact, "pecan" is
an algonquin word

That means "a nut that takes
a stone to crack."

Today, computerized shelling
machines do that job for you.

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Pecans add flavor
and crunch to any recipe.

They can also be a satisfying
treat on their own.

But manufacturing pecans is an
entirely different nut to crack.

At harvest time, the husks that
contain the nuts start to open.

At this orchard,

A machine grabs the tree trunks

And shakes the nuts
to the ground.

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Once on the ground,
a sweeper moves the pecans

Away from the trees
and into a row.

It also blows away
some of the lighter debris.

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A harvester with paddle wheels
collects the pecans.

Once on the harvester,
the pecans ride chain conveyors

As vacuums remove
and discard debris

Then the pecans are transferred
to a cleaning plant.

The pecans are unloaded
into a pit,

And a conveyor
takes them inside.

The pecans funnel into a slotted
drum and tumble around.

The drum sorts
the dehusked pecans

From those that have retained
their husks.

In this enclosed machine,

Spinning wire brushes
remove more of the husks.

Blowers release the lighter
husks into a big bin

To be disposed of later.

After more processing,

Pictures of the nuts
are taken with cameras.

A computer monitors
the pictures

For any husks
still attached to the pecans.

If any are identified,

The computer activates
a blower to remove them.

With the husks removed,
harvesters sort out

Any of the pecans that
are cracked or split open.

At this point, the pecans
contains about 12% moisture,

Which is high enough
to cause deterioration.

So harvesters leave the pecans
to dry for 24 hours,

To lower their moisture content
to 4%.

Once drying is complete,

The pecans are transferred
to the shelling plant,

Where they are plunged into
a chlorine-and-water bath.

This both cleans them
and rehydrates them.

Without sufficient moisture,

The pecans will break into bits
during cracking,

And the objective is to extract
intact halves for retail.

The pecans are rinsed in water

At a temperature
of 180 degrees fahrenheit.

This step
removes chlorine residue,

Sanitizes the pecans,

And raises the moisture content
to 7.5%.

Now it's time to get cracking

With the completely
automated process.

Inside the sheller,

Pistons hit each end
of a nut simultaneously,

Cracking it cleanly.

The deshelled pecans travel
across a vibrating sifter

That sorts them by size.

Then the pecans fall in front
of an electronic system,

Which releases a blast of air

That removes any lingering
shell pieces.

A second sifting system

Removes any additional
small pecan bits.

These pecans will be processed

Into candy bars
and commercial pastries.

The electronic sorter
has removed most of the shells,

But not all of them.

Technicians visually scan
the pecans

And pick out
the remaining shells.

The pecans continue along
the conveyor

And fall into cardboard boxes
at the end of the line.

To prepare
a toasted pecan snack food,

Salt and butter are added
to the nuts.

Then the nuts are cooked
and mixed in a roaster.

In packaging, technicians
pour the pecans

Into measuring jugs,

Then empty them
into plastic bags.

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Hot jaws seal
the tops of the bags

To keep the pecans fresh
and extend their shelf life.

Ready for retail, consumers
won't have any trouble

Cracking these pecans.

They can go straight
to snacking.

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Narrator:
a belt and pulley system

Is a simple type of machine.

Two or more pulleys rotate,

Moving a belt
wrapped around them,

Transferring
mechanical power.

Torque, speed, direction,
and other factors

Can be altered by using pulleys

Of varying diameters
and designs.

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Split pulleys drive a belt,

While idler pulleys
apply tension

Or change its direction.

Both are manufactured
from steel coil,

The industrial term for steel

That's delivered
to the factory in a roll.

The width and thickness
of the steel varies,

Depending on the size
of the pulley being made

And the load it will carry.

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To make split pulleys, the coil
enters a stamping press,

Which punches out discs.

Each disc, called a blank,
will become one pulley.

The scrap pieces go back to
the steel mill to be recycled.

Each blank has a hole
in the center.

This particular blank
has three drain holes.

A magnetic arm picks up
one blank at a time

And loads it into
an automated splitting machine.

As the blank rotates,

A circular knife cuts the border
around the blank

To a specific depth,

Splitting the edge of the blank.

On the opposite side, another
tool spreads the split edge,

Forming a groove.

The machine doesn't
remove any steel.

Rather, it forms the groove
to a specific shape

By redistributing
the existing metal.

A welder places the split pulley
into a welding machine,

Then inserts a machined
steel hub in the center hole.

The machine welds the hub to
the pulley in about 20 seconds.

An idler pulley is made
from two halves

Rather than from a single blank
like the split pulley.

To make each half, the steel
coil goes through a press

In which a dye
with multiple stations

Stamps the metal
to the required shape,

Then cuts it from the coil.

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Separate conveyors
feed the two stamped halves

To an assembly carousel.

One half
runs through a small press

Which stamps dimples
on the surface,

Then loads it onto
the carousel's first station.

The carousel then rotates
to the next station,

Which inserts a radial
ball bearing in the center hole.

The next station places a stamp
without dimples.

A press squeezes
the parts together

Until the dimples touch
the non-dimpled half.

A magnetic arm transfers
the pulley to a track,

Leading to a projection welder.

The welder applies an electric
current to the dimples,

Melting the two halves
together at the contact points.

A robotic arm positions
the pulley on the next station,

Which presses a bore adapter
into the center of the bearing.

This adapter enables the pulley
to be installed

With a smaller bolt.

The thickness of the bore
adapter also acts as a spacer

To align the center of
the pulley with the belt path.

Next, the samples are tested
for weld strength.

A hydraulic jaw clamps
one half of the pulley

While another jaw pulls
the other half apart.

The welds must remain intact
to pass the test.

Split pulleys undergo a weld
strength test on the hub.

A hot chemical bath removes
traces of lubricating oil

Left by the machining equipment.

A thorough rinse with
an anticorrosion chemical

Prevents the steel from rusting

And preps the surface
for painting.

Once the pulleys are dry,

A technician loads them
onto the paint line,

Masking the center with a plug.

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Inside the automated
paint tunnel,

Three spray g*ns fully coat

The top, middle, and bottom
of the spinning pulley

With a water-based enamel paint.

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Then the pulley
passes through a tunnel oven,

Which heat cures the paint
in about four minutes.

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The pulley,
upon exiting the oven,

Goes directly
into the shipping box,

And an unpainted pulley
takes its place on the line.

The factory sends select pulleys
to an outside facility

To be plated with zinc
rather than painted.

Zinc plating better
protects the steel

When exposed to
corrosive environments.

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Narrator: looking for
a new pair of glasses?

If so, you might want
to look into

Durable, lightweight,
and flexible acetate frames.

Acetate is
a high-quality plastic

Made from cotton or wood fibers.

It can be produced in
an endless array of colors,

Color combinations,
and finishes.

This eyewear is
made of cellulose acetate,

A transparent plastic
made from cotton fibers

Combined with plasticizers
and binders.

The acetate arrives
as a thick sheet.

A computer-guided mill
cuts a slab

For the front of the frame
and two pieces for the temples.

The cuts are carefully
calculated

To ensure any color variations

Will be in the same
location on every frame.

This machine heats
the frame front slab

And applies a mold
to form the bridge bump,

The part of the frame
that bulges out over the nose.

The machine drops the slab
into cold water.

Once the slab has cooled,
this computer-guided machine

Shapes it into a frame front.

Using 16 different tools

Operating from
five different angles,

The machine carves out
the eyeholes

And makes grooves in them
to hold the lenses,

Then carves the outer shape.

An artisan refines the shape

And smoothes
the surface by hand,

Using files
and custom-made tools.

Then the acetate parts
are placed in a tumbler

With hardwood pegs
and polishing compounds.

The acetate is smoothed
and polished by gentle abrasion.

A tiny pocket is carved on
each side of the frame front

For the hinge.

Next, the machine heats the
hinge with an electric current

And places it in the pocket.

The heat melts the acetate,
securely setting the hinge.

The brand logo features
a pyramid comprised of 21 dots.

This computer-guided
precision drill bores


Into the tip of the temple.

A craftsman fills them
with translucent epoxy.

Once the epoxy dries,

The craftsman removes the excess
epoxy with a fine sanding disc.

This requires applying just
the correct amount of pressure.

Otherwise, the acetate
can get damaged.

Custom-designed equipment
tapers each temple

To an ergonomic shape.

The temple is thicker
at the hinge for strength,

Thinner around the back
of the ear for comfort,

And thickest at the end,
creating weight at the back

To offset pressure
on the bridge of the nose.

Next, a craftsman
heats the temple

To soften the acetate.

The temple is loaded into
a wire-sh**ting machine,

Along with a hinged
nickel silver wire.

The machine shoots the wire
through the core of the temple.

The temple is now adjustable

And attachable
to the frame front hinge.

A craftsman
carefully removes excess acetate

With a razor blade.

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Then he smoothes out the acetate
around the hinge

With a heat press.

Finally, he covers the hinge
with a glue cap.

This will shield it from damage

Throughout the remainder
of the production process.

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A laser engraves the logo,
model name,

Color, and size information
on the inside of the temple.

Now the glasses are ready
to be assembled.

A craftsman cuts matching angles
on the temples and frame front.

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He joins the temple
and frame front hinges

With a nylon-coated screw.

The coating
tightens the parts together

And helps the temples
fold and unfold smoothly.

A craftsman hand files
the angles

So there's no gap between
temples and frame front.

Each frame is hand-polished

With progressively finer
buffing wheels

And different
polishing compounds.

Optical frames are shipped out
with temporary plastic lenses,

Which an optician replaces

With the customer's
prescription lenses.

This mechanical machine cuts
the plastic to the shape

Of the frame's eyeholes,
following a model lens.

The temporary lenses have
a bevel on their edge,

Which fits into
the lens groove of the frame.

From start to finish,

It takes two weeks to create
a single pair of frames.

The process takes over


More than half of which
are performed manually.